Katniss POV- (The next day)
"Katniss! Are you ready?" Peeta hollers from downstairs.
I'm up stairs getting ready to go to Peeta's grandparents and I am so nervous.
It's one thing getting someone's parents to like you but getting their grandparents and great-grandmother is an entire new story.
It's making generations of his family like you.
"Yeah! Just a second." I call back, perfecting every last detail of my hair and makeup.
I laugh and grab my cell phone and car keys off the table, "No recreating our date today, right?" I ask.
Peeta walks towards the front door and I lug behind him, "No but we definitely will do that soon, I promise." He says, holding out his pinky.
I grin and wrap my pinky around his.
I turn on the porch light since it will be well past dark when we get back and we head out the door.
"I'll drive." Peeta says so I unlock my car and toss him the keys from across the yard. He catches them and walks around to the driver side and I get in on the passenger side. We both put on our seat belts and head out.
I feel really shaky, I am so nervous.
'What if they don't like me?' I ask myself.
Peeta's never told me their thoughts on me which makes me nervous.
I am pretty sure they liked me the few times we've met but I don't know. I was sixteen and I was in a daze about Peeta, who knows what I said or how I acted. And graduation was so busy I don't even recall greeting them.
Peeta puts his hand on my thigh, "You okay?" He asks.
I look up at him, "Yes, just nervous." I admit.
"Why are you nervous?" He asks me.
I shrug my shoulders, "I don't know. I mean, what if they don't like me?" I say.
"They don't have to like you. I love you and I'm marrying you. They're not." He says, obviously a little frustrated with my doubts.
"But I just want them to like me." I tell him in a whining voice.
"Katniss, if you haven't figured out by now, not everyone in this world is going to like you but everyone I know loves you." He emphasizes 'love.'
"That's not true, Peeta." I say, under my breath.
"It is true. There's so many people you've met and I've never known one person that didn't love you." He says.
"Delly." I say with a choked up grin and wait for his reply.
"No, she envies you. Way different than not liking you, she wants to be you." He smirks.
I laugh and I feel a little better.
"Okay. After tonight, if it will make you feel better, I'll ask them what they thought of you." Peeta says.
I roll my eyes, "Peeta, no. I just am nervous because I don't what them to think, 'Hey, this girl is marrying my grandson yet we hate her,' you know?" I say frustrated with myself.
"Katniss, my grandparents don't hate anyone. And if my mom likes you, then you have to know my grandparents like you." He laughs.
I nod, he's got a point.
Mrs. Mellark has made it very obvious she's fond of me, even if it's 'only to keep Peeta out of trouble.'
"Very true but I don't know, Peeta. It's hard for me to get people to like me, it's not hard for you." I say.
Peeta scoffs, "Oh yeah?" He asks.
"Okay, just Dylan." I say plain and simple.
Peeta just laughs, "Well, he AND Delly can get over it." He says, making a sharp turn in the road.
We sit there awkwardly in the car and I decide to speak up again, "I found this picture of us the other day." I start and hope to catch his attention.
"What's that?" He asks.
I smile, "Remember your first sleepover with me at Finnick's?" I ask.
Peeta laughs, "One of the best nights of my entire single life." He says.
"Remember how we were sent on that pizza and movie run?"
"Mm hm." Peeta says with a smirk.
"It was when we stuck the pepperonis on each other's faces and-"
"Rudolph." Peeta laughs.
I remember that, "Yes." I giggle.
"Clown."
I smile and nudge his elbow, "That was a really fun night." I tell him truthfully.
Peeta agrees, "That was the night I knew I wanted to be with you forever. You told me about everything and that's the moment I realized I would do whatever it takes to be your missing piece." He says.
I feel my body shiver at his words, "You were definitely successful." I say proudly.
(A long while later)
Peeta pulls up to the gate his grandparents land and opens the gate and we pull in.
I look at the dead trees on either side of the gravel road and frown.
"Not too pretty out here when it's nearly winter, is it?" Peeta tells me, driving down the winding road.
I shake my head, "Not really." I say.
All the usual green grass is yellow and the trees are bare and the leaves have all blown away so there's not much color or any sign of life until you reach the bottom.
Peeta pulls up in front of the two story house in between two large evergreen trees.
"It'll be okay." He says, patting my leg and kissing my cheek.
I smile, "I know." I assure him.
Peeta smiles at me and gets out of the car and I follow, he grips my hand and we walk up the wooden path to the door.
Peeta gives a few knocks, "Come in." I hear his grandmother holler.
Peeta opens the door up and guides me into the house, "Hello, dears." His grandma says, hugging us both.
That's a good sign.
I smile awkwardly.
"Katniss, right?" She asks with her hand gently on my back.
"Yes, ma'am." I say with a smile.
Peeta's grandma smiles welcomingly at us, "Come sit down. Food will be ready soon and Grandpa Mellark just went to go get my mom." She says, walking back into the kitchen.
Peeta leads me over to the nice leather couches, "Here." He says, gesturing the seats below.
I take a seat and Peeta plops down beside me, I still grip his hand.
"Would you two like anything to drink? Some water or tea?" His grandma peaks her head in at us.
Peeta looks at me and I give him a look, he should know the answer.
"No, thank you. We are okay for now, Grandma." Peeta says.
"So, have you two settled on a date?" She asks.
Peeta looks at me again, he mouths the words 'your turn' and I give him a scowl.
"April 18th." I pipe in.
"Oh, I'm sure it will be a beautiful ceremony, right about the time all the really pretty flowers and trees bloom." She says, rustling around in the kitchen.
I smile to myself and Peeta nudges me, "Love you." He says with a mischievous grin.
"Love you." I say back with a fake smile.
Just before any more questions are asked, Peeta's grandfather and his great-grandmother walk into the house.
"Hey, there." His grandpa says cheerfully and shakes Peeta's hand.
"I'm sure you remember Katniss." Peeta says gesturing to me.
I put on a smile.
"You haven't changed a bit. Peeta here got all scruffy looking after graduation but you are still as pretty as ever." He teases.
His great-grandmother walks over to the couch and sits down on the edge next to Peeta.
"You found a beautiful girl, didn't you?" She murmurs, though I can hear her.
I giggle and Peeta turns to give me a funny grin, "Yes and the best part of it all is I've talked her into marrying me." He informs her with a wink.
I contain my laughter, this old lady is seriously so cute and very forgetful it seems.
She chuckles, "She's a keeper then." She says and stands up and wanders her way into the kitchen.
I just smile at her and Peeta gives me an awkward grin.
"She is kind of forgetful and in case she tries to compare you to one of my brother's many dates, you're the only girl I've ever dated." Peeta reveals.
I raise my eyebrows, "How am I the only girl you've dated?" I ask in disbelief.
He shrugs his shoulders and immediately, I feel so much more special to be his.
"No one else looked interesting to you? I mean, everyone is interested in you." I say under my breath.
"You're the only girl I've ever dated and no one else has ever been even the slightest bit interesting to me, just you. I'll admit I've seen girls I thought were pretty or nice but I never felt like I had potential with them." Peeta assures me.
I scoff at his words, "So, you chose the one girl who showed zero interest the whole first day you knew her and the girl who was afraid of marriage and kids." I laugh at the irony and mumble the words quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear our conversation.
Of course, my mind quickly changed after I got to know him but it's still very ironic and very sweet.
"You've changed your mind though."
"You're the only person I've ever been attracted to and the only guy I've ever had a crush on." I tell him truthfully.
My whole life until I met Peeta, I had only been interested in what boys were doing, not in dating them.
It was honestly never until the night before I met Peeta had I ever wanted any of this.
A boyfriend and now fiancé and everything I never knew I wanted or needed until Peeta brought it to me.
"Katniss, tell me. Does Peeta here treat you well?" His Grandpa asks.
I smile and I squeeze Peeta's hand, "He is the most perfect man. I couldn't imagine anyone treating me better or loving me more." I say, finding these words to come natural.
Bragging on Peeta is something I'm very good at so any conversation concerning him is bound to go smoothly.
A few minutes later, his grandmother comes from the kitchen, "Dinner is ready, everyone." She says sweetly.
I really like her, she is extremely kind.
"Come on, Katniss." Peeta says, standing up.
I stand up and Peeta leads me to the kitchen with his hand on my back.
"Sit down. I'll get your food for you." He says.
I shake my head, "Peeta, you make me food everyday and make my plate. Let me do it." I insist.
I stand back and let everyone else make their plates and sit down before I begin to make mine.
I make a tiny plateful and Peeta has a chair pulled out for me next to him and his great-grandmother. I place my plate on the table and sit down.
I guess he can see that I'm still a little anxious because when he reaches for my hand under the table, I immediately take it.
A steady conversation keeps going between the three elders while Peeta and I only speak when spoken to.
Every couple of minutes, Peeta gives me reassuring squeezes and it makes me feel a lot better.
"Well, Peeta. You've seemed to have found a very lovely lady to marry. I see a lot of love between you two. It's very beautiful." Grandma Mellark tells him, knocking me out of my daze.
Peeta looks at me and I look at him, "She is great. Isn't she?" He says passionately.
I feel my face heat up.
"She is everything you deserve and even more, Sweetheart." His grandma says and my heart melts.
I smile and Peeta nods and gives me an 'I told you so look.'
Peeta and I bid them everyone 'goodbye' soon after dinner and we head home.
On the way home Peeta looks over at me.
"I told you." He smirks.
I feel my face heating up, "I know, I should've listened to you." I say softly.
Peeta pats my leg, "It's okay. You'll have your 'I told you so' moments too. Lots of em." He says sweetly.
"You'll have more too, no doubt." I laugh a little.
Peeta gives me a satisfied smile as we make our way back to District Twelve.